The Show is only weeks away so kick those pocket money tasks into overdrive with these 10 fast monies saving jobs that your kids can do around the house.
Encouraging your children to do some extra chores or tasks so they can improve their earnings is a good way to teach responsibility, as well as develop their money management skills as well as make the reward of a showbag so much sweeter.
Here are 10 ways children can earn more pocket money to buy more showbags at this year’s Show:
1. Selling Home-Grown or Homemade Goods
Is your little one a crafty sort or a green thumb? Making gifts like pencil cases, Christmas decorations or growing fruit and vegetables to sell at a roadside stall is a great way for your showbag lover to use their own skills to make marketable goods for local families to purchase. (Remember adult supervision for these stalls is a must).
2. Doing Laundry and Ironing
Kids can leave what feels like a ridiculous amount of dirty clothes in the laundry basket. If you’re able to spend some time showing them how to do the washing, and, for older kids, the ironing, this can win you back some valuable time. If you’re lucky, it may also mean they’re a bit more careful when it comes to getting their clothes dirty. (We can only hope right? 😊)
3. Cooking Delicious Meals for the Family, Or Helping You!
Home-cooked meals are typically cheaper and healthier than take-away meals. Getting your teenager to cook – even just once or twice a week – will not only help you, it will also help them learn how to take care of themselves once they leave home.
4. Pet Sitting
The school holidays are a great time to help your neighbours out when they go away. Lots of pets prefer or need to be left at home when their owners are away e.g. fish in ponds and chickens. Others could come for a brief stay in your home e.g. caged birds, guinea pigs, mice or even dogs and cats if you can cater for them. If your showbag lover is an animal lover this is a great business idea.
5. Helping with Homework
If your older children are looking for some more pocket money, getting them to tutor their younger siblings might free up some of your time and give them some bonding time. Teaching is a great way to learn patience and understanding, as well as re-learn some valuable things like what 7 times 7 really equals.
6. Washing the Family Car, or Mowing The Lawn
No matter what generation, it seems like washing your parents’ car or mowing the lawn is a rite of passage that almost all kids go through. It doesn’t have to be limited to just washing your car though – if your kids are really looking to boost their showbag pocket money earnings and you feel it’s safe, they can offer to wash your neighbours’ cars as well.
(On a serious note: Building a little business will help improve their cash flow and give them a great introduction to customer service skills.)
7. Organising a Garage Sale
Ok, this one may need some help from the older showbag lovers in the family, but organising a garage sale is a great way to get rid of your unwanted items, while showing kids the value of reusing, how to count cash, and how to calculate change. It can also be fun.
8. Child Minding
Your Showbag lover may not be old enough to look after children on their own, but this doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be a great help to a busy mum in the holidays. Playing with younger kids while the parent is home, allowing them to do work, washing, or maybe some pampering, can be worth its weight in gold!
9. Paper Delivery
In Victoria you only need to be 11 years old to get a job delivering newspapers or advertising materials. They need to be supervised, so make sure you or another adult are able to support them in this venture.
10. Dog Walking
If your showbag lover is also a dog lover then this is a great way for them to earn some money and get some exercise over the holidays. Joining up with friends they could make it a social event down at the local dog park, but adult supervision is advised for this one.
Now, it’s over to you, print out this list and sit down with your kids. Map out a way that they can earn more pocket money before hitting the Show. Make it really fun by using the attached showbag tracker. Download it here.